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It’s Time to Honor Our Veterans

According to the 2014 U.S. Census there are over 21.8 million veterans in the United States. Members of my family are represented in this number. In each major conflict that America has been involved in, my family members have fought bravely and served proudly.

My grandfather served in World World II, my uncles served in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and my cousins served in the wars in the Middle East.

I thank them for their service and try to show my appreciation as often as possible, but I make a special effort to acknowledge their sacrifices on Veterans Day, the one day set aside each November to honor those millions of men and women who have served and continue to serve our nation.

This year, I plan to celebrate my Uncle Ellis who recently turned 75. Uncle Ellis was drafted into the Army (1st Calvary 9th Division) in the mid-60s and was stationed in Germany. In late 1967, he received a letter from his mother informing him that his younger brother had been shot in Vietnam. He volunteered to go to Vietnam to replace his brother (his brother later returned for a second tour).

He fought in Vietnam for two years until he finally came home a few months before I was born. He lived with my mother and I and became a father figure to me.

Uncle Ellis is very unassuming and doesn’t ask for much. However, he does like to look nice when he attends church on Sundays. That’s why I decided to get him a new Sunday outfit. I went to Sears and bought him a new blazer, dress shirt, tie, and pants.

To do its part in thanking the brave men and women who have served our country, Sears recently launched “Heroes at Home for the Holidays.” A new extension of its Heroes at Home program, Sears has teamed with Rebuilding Together to assist veterans who are in need of a wheelchair accessibility ramp for their home. Now through Nov. 19, shoppers can donate when they check out at any Sears store, via a link at sears.com/heroesathome, or by purchasing limited-edition products that benefits the cause. One hundred percent of funds raised will go to Rebuilding Together to fund immediate accessibility ramp builds in November and December to military families in need.

Year-round, Sears offers active, reserve or retired military personnel or military spouses 20 percent off regular-priced (five percent off sale-priced) tools and lawn and garden products, with a valid military ID or military spouse ID.

To help you honor a special veteran, I’d like to offer you a chance to win a $100 Sears gift card. You can enter the contest by leaving a comment below describing a veteran you’d like to honor. Share this post via social media for additional entries (use hashtags #Sears and #HeroesAtHome, contest ends 11/15/16).

Stay Strong,

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About author

Frederick J. Goodall is the founder of Mocha Dad - a parenting website focused on fatherhood. He is passionate about parenting and helping men to be great dads, husbands, and role models. You can contact him at fjgoodall@mochadad.com or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/mochadad